Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/68708
6A Daily News – Tuesday, June 5, 2012 Opinion Vote today to have your say DAILYNEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Today is the deadline to exer- cise your right and responsibility as a citizen of the United States and the great state of California to vote in the June 5 primary election. Like many, I have little patience and limited respect for those who complain about our elected offi- cials or government policies when they don't honor the cause of democracy for which Americans have given their lives by simply registering their votes. Voting is the one act that keeps us from becom- ing a nation of "us and them" by allowing everyone an equal say in governance. Should you ever refer to the government as "they or them," remember that when you fulfill your part of the bargain by voting the government is in fact ours. Please don't let apathy or list- lessness deter you from voting. As of last Friday only about one-third of the absentee ballots in Butte County had been returned. If you haven't already mailed yours in you have until 5pm today to drop it off at the Tehama County Elec- tions Office or into the ballot drop box in front of the Red Bluff library. Also make sure to vote for only one candidate for each office and to sign the absentee ballot envelopes. Otherwise get to your polling station by 8pm tonight and vote. Failure to do so could cost the ability to control legislative and tobacco largess or elect candidates of your liking come November. Voting may not get you your Recent changes in the Califor- nia primary election process should be of particular concern to independent and democratic voters because the primary not only affects the outcome of important propositions but may also leave us choosing from the lesser of two evils in the general election. A yes vote on Proposition 28 will reduce the total number of years that self- serving politicians in state office can feed at the public trough and allows experienced state represen- way but at least you will have seized the opportunity to have your say. Although fictitious corporate "persons" now have the right to speak loudly, with unlimited adver- tising budgets and hired hands to do their bidding, only citizens like you have the power to vote. Nonetheless this unbridled persua- sive power vested in corporations and super PACs is of great concern to me for two principle reasons: 1) the pre-occupation and gullibility of a poorly informed electorate, and 2) the ability of professional marketing organizations with sound-bite spots and targeted attack ads to manipulate voter choices. Beware that only by reading your voter's guide and doing your own research to weigh the facts can you make informed choices. tatives to continue service in the same legislative for the duration of their tenure. Your yes vote on Propo- sition 29 will decrease the allure of unhealthy tobacco addictions and fund cancer research jobs to reduce suffering of tobacco users and the burdens they place upon our Medicare and Medi- Cal programs. Since Prop 28 has no negative financial impacts and Prop 29 only taxes smokers to channel one dollar per pack of ciga- rettes (or other tobacco equivalents) for tobacco cancer research – both propositions are win- win opportunities. Most striking however, the peo- ple of northern California may face the reality of being limited to choosing among two Republican candidates for key offices come November 2. That's right – under new primary election procedures only the top two vote getter's names appear on the general elec- tion ballot. So while it may seem unnecessary for democrats and independent voters to cast ballots for Jim Reed and Charles Rouse, the only front-running democratic candidates, your votes are needed now. Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point upon is a modicum of decorum and respect when addressing one another in the public sphere -- unfortunately to some this, like voting, is apparently too much to ask. Please don't be like them and more carefully choose your words when posting on-line and be sure to submit your ballot on-time. Finally, although reluctant to dignify the repeated concerns of my col- league below the fold regarding my admon- ishment of those that slander or libel with on- line commentary, I can- not remain silent when characterized as a bully or accused of unethical and untruthful behav- iors. Please understand that while I fully respect and encourage every- one's right to vehement- ly and even crassly dis- agree with an opinion, this liberty does not extend to malicious or untruthful maligning of the person holding an opinion. All I insist Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy.He makes his home in Los Molinos and can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445- 7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: governor@gover- nor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Ceanothus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893-8363. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francis- co, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Lying liars and their shameful tactics Commentary A disgusting, disingenuous and deceitful last minute political flyer arrived in my mailbox, as part of the Dan Logue for Assembly 2012 campaign. You may have also been on the receiving end of this latest iteration of mud, slime, lies and character assassination against our County Supervisor, Bob Williams. He stepped up to run for the state Assembly, as the archetypal citizen legislator, being a farmer and rancher by avocation, and a long- serving and dedicated county supervisor in his spare, and under- compensated, time. fabrications that they are, the numerous preposterous assertions on the flyer, and condemn Celeste Grieg of the California Republican Assembly, as well as Lee McCorkle, chairman of the Glenn County Republican Party and, of course, Dan Logue. You should all be ashamed of the scurrilous attacks on a fellow Republican, conservative Bob Williams, who could not in any sane voter's imag- ination, be held responsible for "shipping our water to Southern California," or for having used "tax dollars for junkets" or for planning to "raise your taxes." If I ever have the displeasure of meeting any of these mud-throwers, the last thing they will see will be my backside as I turn and walk away. I don't for- give such tactics; and I won't for- get. I condemn, and call out for the won't be misled by proudly casting your vote for someone that I have had the supreme pleasure of rub- bing elbows with, and working together with, on everything from Show these charlatans that you the Military Families Support Group, to issues that have come before the county supervisors, to Tea Party Patriots venues and pic- nics, to Republican fundraising dinners, and on and on. He has labored mightily to advocate for rural land use and water issues in Sacramento, and has established bridges and open doors to open- minded, reasonable Democrats on those and other issues. Don't let the liars win: Vote for Bob Williams for Assembly. Regarding donations to the local Republican Central Commit- tee, I was pleased to see the Daily News was timely and even-handed in covering the stories: "FPPC: Nielsen gift may have crossed line" (May 31), followed up 2 days later by "Nielsen attorney defends dona- tion." I am on the Central Commit- tee but was out of town, uninvolved and uninformed of the matter until reading the articles in the Daily News issues held for my return. I'll accept the legal statement of Assemblyman Jim Nielsen's attor- ney Charles Bell, Jr: "He (Nielsen) complied with the law." I sense a political shenanigan, perhaps a "tempest in a teapot," fanned by Nielsen's and William's political opponents. I also find a major cul- prit in the futile attempts to accom- plish "fairness" in political fund raising and spending, as suggested by the title "Fair Political Practices Commission." I prefer individual freedom to spend one's money as one wishes; it's yours, or your businesses, or your corporation's, money and I trust folks handling and contribut- ing their own money, in whatever amounts, to whomever they sup- port. Combine that free- dom with the ability and requirement to provide full and timely disclosure, and you have what I think is truly a fair system where people take respon- sibility for their decisions and money, everyone else benefits from transparen- cy, and people pass judg- ment on the sources and amounts of money con- tributed. We don't need the heavy hand of the state to concoct minute and obscure rules that necessitate high-priced lawyers to interpret, and to protect citizens and candidates from every clause and phrase of regu- latory overreach. I have no hesitation whatsoever advising readers to vote for Doug LaMalfa for Congress. I find his devotion to the concerns and needs of his constituents, demonstrated over many years, often to the detri- ment of evenings and weekends with his family, to inherently qual- ify him to go "to" Washington without turning into a product "of" Washington. The other Republican candidates are fine patriots and I would happily replace Democrats in other districts with any of them. As usual, California's primary Don Polson The way I see it "Minnesota nice" veneer in service of battling President Obama in the ideologi- cal trenches. He went bye-bye early. I was eager to help voters and readers understand the record and accomplish- ments of Gov. Rick Perry and his Texas miracle of growth and job creation; that is, until it became clear his communication abili- ties fell far short of what's needed to unseat a sitting president. Having neither love nor hate for the remain- ing Republicans, I cast a cool, analytical look at their respective abili- ties, reactions and accomplishments. I didn't hear or see any of the negative ads, but I did observe the reactions of those on the receiving end. I was less than impressed with complaints and whining, and was positively impressed by the ability of one Republican to get better and more formidable the closer he got to gaining the delegates needed for the nomination. arrives too late for Republicans to have any meaningful impact other than to affirm or object to the pres- idential primary results that have gone before. My personal evolution has included the sense that Gov. Tim Pawlenty could have wielded a ling" business career, masterful Salt Lake Olympics turnaround, and ability to fight the Massachusetts Democratic establishment, leave me casting my vote, and casting it eagerly, for Governor Mitt Romney. That, combined with his "ster- Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.